Are Microwaves Killing our Food?

The article mentions that according to research studies on microwaves up to 60-90% of the nutritional value of food is lost through cooking in a microwave oven. Food cooked in the microwave will be submitted to changes to their atomic structure.

A great point raised in the article is that relying on microwaves for cooking – which also implies relying on ready meals – makes us detached from the experience of choosing fresh foods and cooking them. The whole experience of cooking becomes automatic and impersonal.

Professor Mercola calls using a microwave “the price of convenience” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx. Mercola explains that you need to check which plastic containers you use when microwaving because toxic chemicals could leech into the food during the heating process. He quotes from a 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, in which it was found that microwaved broccoli lost up to 97% of antioxidants.

While an occasional use of microwaves should not have any dramatic consequences on our health, it is worth using this opportunity to remind ourselves that cooking meals from scratch is the safest option. Overcooking should be avoided though – light steaming and stir-frying are recommended cooking methods. This way of cooking will ensure most of the nutrients are kept in the food; ideally raw foods should be consumed on a regular basis.